Side Stories
by The Writing Therapist
Summary: To hopefully ease the pain my lack of updates to Two's a Crowd causes, here are some extra things that I couldn't place in the main stories.


AN: It's been a long time since my last update and I decided that if I couldn't have an actual chapter up, I might as well tell a bit of how two characters related to Harry spent time while he was at Hogwarts: Jin and Prank. Jin's POV is kind of screwy because I had a bit of trouble of figuring out how a young hyena would think, for some reason in my mind he kinda sounds like a three year old with ADD...but I did have fun coming up with Jin's nicknames for people.

**Takes place roughly around Year One/The Red Stone**

* * *

**Jin**

Monday

Someone tried to get into Brother's bed early today, I scared them away. Humans here are scared faster here than back home, and I have to do things on my own! Brother laughed and said something of warning to the other male humans here, telling them to stay away I think.

I followed Brother down to the main den, he met the human female that smells like paper. Her name is something weird humans thought up, I think Paper is a better name...I'll call her that instead! Brother also talked to another human female, this one smells like flowers but her name is a nice one for a human: Luna.

Brother doesn't like all the people here, I think it's because a lot of them don't smell very nice or could be trusted.

Brother met with another human male, this one smells like dirt and seems easily scared…I'll call him Earth! I smell meat and nudge Brother to get his attention and look at the table when he looks down at me.

I couldn't follow Brother to his classes so I wandered the school a bit before finding a funny looking cat. I decided to chase it, which seemed to amuse a lot of the students, a few trying to pat me on the head whenever I would lose sight of that cat but I didn't let them get too close since I don't know if Brother would like them or not.

Tuesday

Brother seemed to have a lot on his mind today after classes. I heard other humans say that he blew up something; that made me happy. Brother is always happiest when destroying things with Alpha and Odd Human.

Brother was shooting light at the other humans in the main den, laughing, before a bigger human stopped him. Before sleeping, Brother changed his head fur color a few times before bed, saying something about letting off extra magic because a teacher told him to. I guess magic is what that light is called.

Wednesday

Brother seems, as humans would put it, royally pissed off. Earth said something about blowing up another classroom, if that had happened Brother should be happy…he's teasing Paper again. I let out the hyena version of a sigh and think to myself: _Why do you tease her?_ Brother started acting weird, asking Paper or Luna if they had said anything then remarking that whatever he had heard must have been his imagination. _Hope no one knows what goes on in there…_ Brother started yelling for no reason again…_ This place is causing Brother to lose his mind…where's that funny looking cat, I want to chase it again. _Brother is now staring at me funny. _…why's Brother staring at me? …am I doing something weird?_ ...I wonder why Brother passed out like that, humans usually do that when they breathe in Odd Human's funny smoke and I don't think there's any of that here and I think Brother is immune to it...wonder what's wrong?

Thursday

Brother can hear me! Brother can hear me! He thinks that because of all the magic that Hogwarts has our bond has gotten stronger and we can really hear each other's thoughts!

This is better than live meat night back in our home den! Brother can finally learn things I've found out, like Paper has been smelling really sad lately or that the rat belonging to the Annoying Runt, or Ron as Brother calls him, doesn't smell right. I also told him about how much fun it is to chase that funny looking cat, called Mrs. Norris for some reason, but I hate when the stupid thing disappears.

Brother said the reason Paper is sad is because the day of her birth is coming up and she isn't with her pack. Humans have weird traditions; celebrating one's birth, celebrating the start of a new year...I just don't understand them most of the time.

Friday

Brother led his pack-mates to the top of the large stairs, I could smell that he was planning something but despite our bond, I didn't know what. I was a bit surprised as his sudden leap off the banister, but I wasn't worried since he's done things much more dangerous back home like dodging falling, burning debris as a building comes down. Paper yelled at Brother for the stunt, calling him insane but both of us already knew that for a long time. Brother did a few more things before commenting that being an eleven year old boy, being gross is his job. _I can vouch for that._

I wandered off while Paper yelled at Brother for a bit, I wanted to see if I could find that cat again, instead I found the Bat Fake and the Old Man talking. I only heard the end of it but I heard them talking about Brother not acting as he should and that where he lives is the core of the problem. They discussed how best to talk to Brother to fix this before going off. I wonder what they're going to try to do?

* * *

**Prank**

"Hey boss," on Jokerz member spoke up, "You don't go on raids with us no more, what's up with that?"

"...you try keeping Joker entertained when he's not out causing chaos," Prank deadpanned. Several people paled considerably and shuddered at the thought of entertaining Joker and what you would have to perform to do so. Prank let them think on that for a moment before speaking, "But you're right, I've been neglecting my duties as your boss...who wants to go destroy stuff, any suggestions?"

Several ideas came out but one caught Prank's ear, "Taking over a carnival? Rides, junk food, rigged games, sounds fun; who's in?"

It was extremely easy to take over and situate themselves into the natural mayhem that a carnival seemed to bring.

"Uh, boss?" someone spoke up.

"What is it?" Prank snapped, actually annoyed that his attempts at playing with a human dartboard were being interrupted.

"We have some party crashers," the person answered.

"Are they of the GPD type or flying animal?" Prank asked.

"Both."

"That was quick...okay then," Prank set down his darts and yelled at top of his lungs, "Run your asses off!"

Predictably, every Jokerz member within Prank's shouting range stopped whatever mayhem they were causing and ran for it.

Prank fled down an alleyway and ran into Robin, "Hello there, Bird Brain."

The young hero wasted no time and immediately attacked the young villain.

"No witty banter today?" Prank mused, scaling the fire escape to put distance between them.

"I'm not in a good mood," Robin admitted, chasing after the plant.

"I thought you always acted like you have a stick up your rear," Prank joked before landing hard on the skylight of a supermarket, which broke under his feet and sent him crashing into the store, "Well, that wasn't pleasant..."

"Thought you would've broken something in that fall," Robin commented, dropping in a bit safer.

Prank responded by grabbing the nearest thing, a jar of peanut butter, and throwing it at the boy.

Robin knocked the object aside with a swift hit of his bo staff and attacked, causing Prank to vault himself over a counter to get away.

Instinctively, the human-like plant grabbed something and hit Robin with it, realizing that what he had grabbed was a fish from a nearby tank. 'Harry wouldn've found that hysterical,' Prank thought, stifling a laugh.

Robin, to his credit, ignored the improvised weapon and set back to trying to capture Prank so the police could take him off.

The two continued fighting, Prank grabbing a mop to fend off Robin's staff after the fish was tossed back into its tank.

"Any reason for taking over that carnival?" Robin asked, trying to sweep out Prank's feet from under him.

"Not really, it was brought to my attention that I was neglecting my gang so we decided to have a bit of fun," Prank admitted, out of the corner of his eye noticing something.

Robin was a bit confused when Prank ran to the meat counter and grabbed a steak but kept on his guard in case the food was going to be used as a weapon.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hit you with it," Prank stated, having some idea what might be going through the Boy Wonder's mind. He took the momentary distraction that the confusion caused to run forward, pull open Robin's shorts and stuff the meat down the Boy Wonder's outfit. Prank ran the moment Robin reacted to the very wrong sensation of cold, wet meat being stuffed down his clothes.

"Where'd you get that idea to stick a steak down Robin's shorts?" a Jokerz member asked, running alongside Prank as they fled.

"I honestly have no idea," Prank admitted, "It just popped into my head."

Prank separated from the other Jokerz, taking some time to lose any tails he might have by ducking through alleys and side streets as well as slipping down a manhole and using the sewers to get back to the warehouse that was being used as their living space for the time being. He paused in his travels when he heard a roar echoing through the underground, "That must be Killer Croc, wonder when he got out?" Storing away the knowledge for potential use later, the plant continued on his way, eventually lifting the manhole cover only about a block away from his intended destination.

"How was your night out, kiddo?" Harley asked as Prank walked in.

"Eventful to say the least before the party crashers arrived," he answered with a mock sigh of disappointment.

"You're getting better at sounding human!" Joker called from the next room, having overheard the conversation.

"I'll show you how human I am when I break your nose!" Prank threatened, half joking and half serious.

Remus pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance as the two seemed to gear up for another argument and decided to grab his earplugs to prepare to turn in for the night, or what was left of it.

"That's the spirit!" Harley cheerfully cut in, "You mind if I have some fun with you, kiddo?"

"Uh, what for?" Prank wondered where this might be headed since she usually would not interrupt the shouting matches for at least fifteen minutes.

"Just an idea that Harry might try when he gets home," the red and black clad woman smiled, which slightly unnerved the plant.

**--HJH--**

"Why did I let you do this to me?" Prank muttered, "I have no idea what this'll do to my skin!"

"But you have to admit, it further cements your, or rather Harry's, status as Joker's son," Remus remarked, smiling as he quickly took a picture.

"…Harry would like that idea, but I don't think he'd be comfortable wearing this stuff all the time," Prank responded, rubbing the back of his hand against his cheek and pulling it away to glare at what came off and stuck to his skin, "I really don't understand the purpose of this stuff either..."

"You're at least sounding more like him," Joker teased.

"Stick a sock in it," Prank spat, jumping onto the clown and attempting to strangle him with his necktie.

A month or so after the plant's adventure, an owl arrived for Harry which was unusual since he rarely got any mail.

"It's from home," Harry spoke around a piece of toast in his mouth as he simultaneously prevented Jin from attacking the bird, yet again, and opened his letter.

_Harry,_

_Things have been going very well here…considering your parents' occupation. Your group of friends has been causing the usual amount of trouble, nothing extra really. Your dad has been getting a bit more creative with his work without you around but I think he's simply compensating for your lack of input. The pets are doing fine but they seemed to really notice your absence for the first few days before dealing with it. _

_We've sent along a few things…including something your mom found that we thought was amusing._

_Ze'ev_

"Why are you covered in makeup?" Hermione asked, trying and failing to stifle her laughter at the picture that was included in the letter..

"…my mom can be very persuasive in getting me to do what she likes, I think she sort of wished I was a girl..." Harry lied while deadpanning, glaring at the picture of Prank sporting white makeup and dark colored lipstick.


End file.
